​This season, Zack Wheeler has gone 9-1 with a 2.28 earned run average, piling up 98 strikeouts over 14 starts. And that comes on the heels of more than a decade of elite performance. Yet Wheeler was left off the initial All-Star roster, a snub that drew widespread criticism from fans, analysts, and many within the game. The league ultimately attempted to include him, but only after a substantial outcry. If his initial reaction to the controversy is any guide, we all saw what was coming: “I’m not gonna be disrespected,” he said, as noted by Lochlahan March on X.
Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic reported that the 36-year-old expressed that he “did not want to be the fifth choice and felt disrespected.” And there was good reason for that sentiment. Wheeler has been among the best starters in MLB for more than ten years, and his omission this year stemmed from a scheduling rule: he was slated to start against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, and according to MLB rules, a pitcher who starts on the Sunday preceding the All-Star Exhibition is ineligible to appear in the Tuesday game. As a result, Wheeler wasn’t included in the Phillies’ representation at the All-Star Game on their home field, despite his merits.
This decision sparked heavy criticism from various quarters, including Wheeler’s own agent, Bryce Harper, Phillies veterans Milt Thompson and Rubén Amaro Jr., and numerous fans. They argued that Wheeler deserved inclusion and labeled the rule a disgrace, calling for a remedy. That remedy appeared in the form of Chase Burns, the Cincinnati Reds’ ace, who has been superb this season with an 11-1 record, a 2.54 ERA, and 118 strikeouts. Burns earned an All-Star nod, but a sudden tightness in his right groin ruled him out of the game against the Phillies, creating a moment when MLB approached Wheeler.
“They disrespected me, so I’m not going to participate,” Wheeler declared to the league. Earlier, he had argued that his performance had earned him recognition and expected MLB to name him, regardless of whether he could pitch on that day. “It pisses me off and, you know, it’s kind of (expletive),” Wheeler said, later pointing to his 14 strikeouts over seven innings in his most recent start as a reminder of what he had accomplished.
In the end, MLB offered him the opportunity that many believed he deserved. But Wheeler felt that the timing had diminished the value of the recognition. It would have been his fourth All-Star selection, yet he chose to stand by his principles and walk away with his head held high. “Guys take a lot of pride in having the All-Star next to their name—during their career and after,” Wheeler said. “And people who build stuff after your career might look at that, too. For somebody to kind of take th for better SEO.”